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Chinese homebuyers hone in on Palo Alto

Local Realtors report rising trend in Chinese homebuyers over the last few years

Passengers aboard Deleon Real Estate's Mercedes limo bus, which takes Chinese and American passengers on tours of Palo Alto homes. Tours are conducted in both English and Mandarin. Photo by Katie Brigham.

Mei Wu spent several weekends this summer checking out Palo Alto properties, but so far she hasn't located her dream home.

Wu (who preferred not to use her real name) grew up in Beijing, but moved to Hong Kong two and a half years ago. She says an equivalent 3,000-square-foot house in Hong Kong would sell for $20 million (U.S.), compared to the $3 to $4 million in Palo Alto. That is, if one could even find a house in condo-rich Hong Kong.

Wu, a Chinese citizen, is looking for a vacation home in Palo Alto  preferably Old Palo Alto, Crescent Park or Community Center. And, she likes that "it's a university town, it's lively," it has temperate weather and access to good medical care.

"It has an old town feel, not too big or too small," she said, and it's close to shopping.

Wu is by no means alone in her choice of Palo Alto for her real-estate purchase.

Ken DeLeon, of DeLeon Realty, Palo Alto, reports a rising trend in Chinese homebuyers over the last few years, growing from 5 percent of local buyers in 2011 to an expectation of 15 percent this year.

And the tide will keep rising for the next couple of years, he predicts.

"About two years ago I started to see a build-up," he said, after hearing about it for two years before that. "People were coming, but not buying," he added.

There are so many coming that DeLeon has purchased a 14-seater Mercedes limo bus in which he, Michael Repka, managing broker and general counsel, and Kim Heng, director of Asian operations, take prospective buyers on tours of various Palo Alto neighborhoods as well as nearby cities, from Woodside to Cupertino, twice a week.

And the impact of the influx will be felt for years to come, he said. Because the Chinese buyers tend to hold onto their properties, there will be even fewer homes on the market in 10 years than there are now, making inventory even lower, he said.

Just what is bringing Chinese buyers in droves, from mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan?

Some come because of changing real-estate rules at home, others for expanded investment options for China's rising middle class and still more for educational opportunities, local Realtors say.

While the U.S. has had pretty consistent property laws since 1776, China is quite another story, DeLeon said. "Everything in China feels so fluid; people don't have that security."

Changing rules in China definitely have an impact on local buyers, noted Michelle Chang, an agent with Coldwell Banker, downtown Palo Alto.

"At least two years ago, China('s) government has a new policy. A couple can own only one house," she said.

She came from Taiwan more than 15 years ago to earn her master's degree in economics at San Jose State University. Fluent in Taiwanese, Mandarin and English, she's been selling real estate for about 10 years, with most of her clients Chinese.

"Also, a lot of people start their own business, making good money  the money you have to do investment," she said. Beginning in the mid-1990s Chinese people tended to buy real estate and diversify their investments.

Mainly coming from what DeLeon calls the "Tier One" cities  Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong  Chinese buyers are facing even higher prices at home than in Palo Alto and environs.

"For the same amount of money, (they) only can buy an apartment in Hong Kong or Taiwan," she said.

"They're coming here because they have money to invest and they want their kids to come here for education. A lot of them buy now, even though their kids are still in kindergarten," she said.

"A lot of times they are hoping to come when the kids are growing up. When in junior high, they will come," said Juliana Lee, an agent with Keller Williams Realty, Palo Alto, also a native of Taiwan.

Many are hoping to buy property that will become their children's legacy, Lee said. She pointed to one client who was seeking "exquisite" property in the $15- to $20-million range. She's been communicating with him every other week and most recently sent him information on an estate in Los Gatos.

But her more typical client is looking in the $1 to $2.5-million range.

And just what are they looking for?

New construction: "the newer the better," Chang said.

Jenny Teng's clients prefer new construction because they lack the skills to deal with older homes, she said. Teng, a Realtor with Alain Pinel, Palo Alto, grew up in Taiwan and has been selling real estate in Palo Alto for 23 years.

"When they grew up, they had to study, study. Women don't know how to cook; men don't know to fix up houses. (They're) not handy," she said.

And if they cannot find something new, then they'll consider a tear down, DeLeon added.

"Midtown lots have done amazingly well, approaching $300 per square foot if not in the flood zone. The premium on new construction and lots is growing," he said.

Chang found fewer thinking of building themselves. "It's quite a big challenge to do so. They're business people and travel a lot. How can they do this if they cannot communicate with the building department and don't know the procedures well?" she posed.

Whether they're looking for new construction or are willing to build, what they seem to have in common is their ability to pay cash.

"It's already a big impact for the local market," Chang said. "Those people are the all-cash buyers. ... They can't get loans."

Wu, who is looking for that vacation home with Juliana Lee, doesn't see herself as a "typical" Chinese buyer. Her daughter is already going to school in New York City, so she's not looking for good schools.

At first she thought she'd buy a condo, but she's "used to houses." And she was thinking more along the lines of a 2,000-square-foot house for $2 million, but she's now set her sights on maybe 2,500 square feet for $3 to $4 million. That's about $1 million more than her friends are finding in the southern California communities of Newport Beach, Irvine or San Diego, where there are large Chinese communities. While she finds southern California too hot and New York too cold, Palo Alto's weather seems just right, she said.

So she'll continue her search  at least for awhile.

"If they're not beautiful, and I'm not getting excited, I don't have to move here," she said.

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Comments

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Posted by resident
a resident of Old Palo Alto
on Sep 4, 2013 at 10:42 am

I am dubious of these media reports about Chinese citizens taking over Palo Alto. If this was really true, wouldn't there be lots of Chinese-oriented services moving in as well? Why are there no Chinese grocery stores in town? And all of the "Chinese" restaurants in town serve highly-Americanized foods that would not be recognizable to Chinese citizens.

Posted by Stathead
a resident of College Terrace
on Sep 4, 2013 at 11:32 am

"Ken DeLeon, of DeLeon Realty, Palo Alto, reports a rising trend in Chinese homebuyers over the last few years, growing from 5 percent of local buyers in 2011 to an expectation of 15 percent this year."

This is the pertinent quote. Yes, more buyers are from China, but it's still only 15% of total buyers.

According to "The Economist", a British publication, China has stopped giving easy credit to its upper class citizens because so many have taken the money and left the country, ostensibly investing it in California housing and then never paying it back, thus defaulting! It his is. Winning to hurt the Chinese economy.

A similar article was also,in the WSJ last week. Perhaps the Chinese influx is nearing an end.

Posted by Chris Zaharias
a resident of Crescent Park
on Sep 4, 2013 at 1:25 pm

I was born in Palo Alto of first-generation Greek immigrants (well, one was 1st-gen, one 2nd-gen), raised here, and live here now.

When my parents moved here, they had the intention of raising a family here, speaking the language, learning the culture, being part of it, staying here, dying here. Though it's not codified in any law, staying and assimilating is the social contract whereby an immigrant becomes a local.

Every so often one of these threads show up in which aspersions are cast at the chinese and/or asians.
Unfortunately this time it is the PA Weekly that has started this latest round. Maybe it is a slow newsday and they are looking to generate traffic on the site.

Posted by Chris Zaharias
a resident of Crescent Park
on Sep 4, 2013 at 1:57 pm

@Local

Did you not hear me start my post by acknowledging that I'm an immigrant's son? I used to be called Zeke the Greek Freak by my Anglo-Saxon friends whose families had been here many more generations than I. [Portion removed.] The article itself states that these buyers are coming for 'investment', 'educational' or 'legacy'-building reasons and not in order to settle down, grow roots and live here permanently. I suggest you read the article again.

[Portion removed.]

Last, if you think that any immigrant of any stripe who *has* come here, raised family here, learned the language, become part of the culture and assimilated *isn't* as much a Palo Altan as you or I, then you don't know what I've told hundreds of people over the years and as recently as yesterday: the real Americans *ARE* the immigrants from *all* nations who come here, not to invest or give their kids education opptys they don't have at home, but to *become Americans*.

Posted by CrescentParkAnon.
a resident of Crescent Park
on Sep 4, 2013 at 2:20 pm

> real estate agents for selling PA homes to the highest bidder

Chris ... Real Estate agents select the offer their clients accept.

There is an issue with China and the Chinese. China is really the only monolithic racial superpower in the world, and on a global scale I think that rightfully worries people. China took over Tibet, builds huge cities and the imports their people to fill it up. I guess we can argue this is what the European countries did in the past with the Americas, and other places ... but I don't know what the force of that argument in a world that now recognizes that are basically criminal.

On the local level I have a lot of experience with Chinese. I had several a Chinese girlfriends all of whose families went ballistic when they discovered their daughters were seriously involved with an American man. Not only that, but I heard this story repeated over and over and over, and over again by their friends and annecdotally.

I think it is fair or reasonable to at least hold the belief that many if not most Chinese do not come here as immigrants used to come here, to escape dysfunctional countries with no opportunity to become part of a classless new kind of country - America, where everyone is American. That idea seems to be gone - shrivelled up by both the cultures of the people who come here now, but also by Americans themselves who are unfriendly and do not want competition ... and that pattern follows vertically in the American economy as well, the top 1% are expanding the barriers to entry of the middle and upper classes to reduce their need to complete.

Most (not all) of the Chinese I have know personally and have "heard about" come here to expand a kind of Chinese economic hegemony. There is a naturally fair and competitive side to this, but there is also an unfair "good ole boys" kind of Chinese network I have seen also in my working in the valley too. So, to deny there is friction or a problem is no helpful.

[Portion removed.]

The context of racism makes these problems difficult to discuss openly of objectively. That does not mean these problems do not exist or should be ignored of that they do not affect all the rest of us.

I've felt personally pained when I see people come to my country of America and make a personal effort to be open and friendly, that is not perfect, but at least tries to be fair and welcoming to outsiders, and try to take advantage of the country, the system and the government, and then speak and act venomously against the people like we are inferiors, stupid, ignorant, or bad or even deserving of some kind of overthrow. Talk to the people of the countries surrounding China or the Phillipines about how the Chinese exist in their countries - in many cases the description would be an economic invasion force. They also bring their aged parents over, make them citizens and then put them on Medicare or Social Security - all the while displaying contempt for our system and society - when they do have the resources to pay for them on their own.

I do not blame people that do not understand America who come here, I blame our country who is bottom line the entity that needs to manage this process in a way that is profitable and manageable to us.

I had to write this so far and in such limited space, sorry if I used words that provoke a reaction of do not express the full rationale behind the ideas. I think Chinese and the Chinese society have much to offer the world and our country, but like everything else this needs to be regulated in some reasonable way so that the more negative aspects of human nature are not allowed to runaway with it.

If we, like the Conservatives like to say, are the last best hope for freedom and democracy on the planet, we better start being reasonable in how to protect and preserve that hope against other systems that by nature compete with it and are at odds with it.

Posted by CrescentParkAnon.
a resident of Crescent Park
on Sep 4, 2013 at 4:14 pm

[Portion removed.]

I think we damn well do need to become part of the community, whatever the scope of that community is. You simple cannot have a country, or a system, or whatever where everyone secretly goes about their own way using everyone else any way that doesn't lead them to going to jail. You can be sure that China does not do that and derives substantial people capital by focusing their society in the way they do.

It would be nice to know as I go through town what peolpe and businesses believe we are not and do not need to be a community or join the community to some extent ... because if I could identify people like that I would not want to have anything to do with them or give them my business.

Posted by One big happy family
a resident of Midtown
on Sep 4, 2013 at 4:40 pm

[Portion removed.]

"I think we damn well do need to become part of the community, whatever the scope of that community is."
I think most people in PA are part of the community. Not sure what Chris has issues with. How many people, that he does not like, are in the city.
Everyone is part of the community to some extent or another-- a school community, a neighborhood community, a church community etc. Some people stick with their family as their community. Not sure there is a one size fits all for what Chris wants.
Of course there will always be some, in every community, that do not assimilate for whatever reason--but that is their choice and without knowing their reasons we should not condemn them

Posted by Bent iris
a resident of Monroe Park
on Sep 4, 2013 at 4:46 pm

It is the 'overseas investors' who are inflating the cost of homes in NY and CA beyond the reach of the 99% of US residents! Real estate agents and mortgage brokers who are overseeing deals of $ millions CASH for properties should be required to provide "proof of $ source" from buyers by the feds.

Posted by not impressed
a resident of Palo Alto High School
on Sep 4, 2013 at 5:02 pm

Years ago, having already been through some stressful real estate transactions, including cases where actions of the agents were questionable, I cut out from a newspaper a news article report of a survey conducted by some reputable source - university or other academic thinktank - that found that (residential) real estate agents were considered to be the least ethical profession. I gave a wry laugh, and years later, still give my thumbs up to that one...
Really, the fewer pr placed articles from select local real estate "professionals," the better, in my book. I would be very, very cautious in dealings with any real estate agent.

Posted by Online Name
a resident of Embarcadero Oaks/Leland
on Sep 7, 2013 at 4:56 pmOnline Name is a registered user.

Based on discussions with various homeowners and a few realtors, I think De Leon's figures are low. While this is strictly anecdotal, I'm part of a monthly women's dinner group. Several women had sold homes recently and ALL saw more than 1/2 of their offers from the Chinese market, many all cash. One realtor friend said she'd seen more than half, sometimes approaching 75%.

A follow-up article would be great.

Also, I'm wondering if this trend is contributing to all the tear-downs of some beautiful old houses since the article stresses the desire for new construction, "the newer the better."

Posted by PA Dweller
a resident of Community Center
on Sep 8, 2013 at 6:16 pmPA Dweller is a registered user.

Judging by the number of Removed comments, it is apparent that America still has some ways to go before bias is removed from our national psyche. Please keep in mind that in the "tier 1" cities of China, it is quite common to see foreigners, including large communities of Americans and Europeans. Globalization is here and here to stay. In China, it is well known that foreigners are treated with courtesy and respect, especially those who bring suitcases of cash. Perhaps America has something to learn here...

Posted by wmartin46
a resident of Fairmeadow
on Sep 9, 2013 at 8:09 amwmartin46 is a registered user.

> Judging by the number of Removed comments, it is apparent
> that America still has some ways to go before bias is
> removed from our national psyche.

Maybe. But it was only about forty years agoduring the Cultural Revolutionwhen "Westerners" were not treated quite so "respectfully". It was only sixty years ago, during the Korean War, that China effectively declared war on the US/UN, flooding the war zone with over 4M soldiers who helped to drive the war to a stalemate--killing thousands of American/Allied/South Korean soldiers in the process. After the war, there were over 8,000 MIAs that have been rumored to have ended up in Chinese POW camps, and never returned to the US. There are still many families who lost loved ones fighting the Chinese Communists, and who have good reason not to be so friendly to those who opposed the US during that war.

> In China, it is well known that foreigners are treated with
> courtesy and respect, especially those who bring suitcases of cash.

Not exactly true for American corporations, however. Both Google and Yahoo (as well was many other companies) seem to have hit "bamboo walls" trying to set up organizations in China. It's generally believed that the government is not at all friendly to foreign business interests. Maybe the 'public" face of China is friendly to those who want to invest, but it definitely is not all that friendly to the West, in general.

Another thing to keep in mind is that people in China can not buy land. They can only lease it from the government for a period of time. So, it certainly makes sense investing in other countries, where there is a much higher level of legal protections of property, and the individual, in general. Perhaps America has something to learn about dealing with foreigners with "bags of cash", but the world has a lot to learn about how America treats "ordinary" people, without all that cash.

Posted by PA Dweller
a resident of Community Center
on Sep 9, 2013 at 10:39 amPA Dweller is a registered user.

wmartin46,

I think it's time to move on from cold war mentality. This is not the right forum to debate world history and politics, but I'd like to briefly respond to some of your points:
1. During Cultural Revolution the Chinese people were the primary victims. Many persevered, and through another generation of hard work and reform are finally able to establish themselves economically. It's the type of story that should commended.
2. Cold war era was a different world. We can't use yesterday's standard and apply it today. Keep in mind during that time America didn't exactly treat its own people with respect (blacks, Japanese Americans, women are obvious examples)
3. Regarding Korean War - If the Soviets deployed troops to Cuba, would America stand by and watch? History has already revealed the answer.

Posted by Anciana
a resident of Old Palo Alto
on Sep 9, 2013 at 10:59 amAnciana is a registered user.

I welcome ANYONE of any race, religion or sexual orientation who wants to be a real neighbor, a person who will come to my house to borrow a cup of sugar, a person who will pick up my newspaper when I'm away for a weekend, someone who will stop and chat for moment when out working in my front garden. A known neighbor!

It has been my unfortunate experience with Asian "neighbors" that they move in, pull down the shades, and you never see them again. My most recent experience was with some people from Korea, who moved in across the street from me. I left a vase of flowers and a welcome note on their porch (when no one came to the door), also letting them know my name and house address. Result? Nothing. They have been in residence for several months, and today, because a window was open, I saw for the first time that they are actually there. These are not neighbors, never will be friends. What a disappointment!

Posted by Southern Roots
a resident of Palo Verde
on Sep 9, 2013 at 12:39 pmSouthern Roots is a registered user.

I always wondered how Asian Americans who have been here for generations are perceived in the eyes of non-Asians whenever articles like this is run...As a first-generation Chinese American, I came here at the age of fourteen years forty years ago. I took the oath when I became a U.S. citizen at the age of nineteen and really treasure the significance of my citizenship. Don't get me wrong, I am proud of my heritage that, good and bad, goes back five thousand years. At the same time, I am extremely proud of being an American and supporting my country. I know I am probably overcompensating for the fact that, unlike my friends, I was not born here in the U.S. - I proudly fly the stars, spangle banner high; I vote at every election; I speak flawless English without an accent and I can grill one of the best steaks either side of the Mason Dixon line. I married and bore a child who applied and received an NROTC scholarship. He may not look like your typical all-American boys from the 50s or even the 80s, but he is true blue and represents all that is America and the changing faces of America. I am neighborly, I smile and say hello to strangers I meet while I walk my dog, though not all reply in kind. So it goes onů

It pains me to see comments from folks who stereotype and categorize Asians. As with all people of difference races, not all Asians are the same or created equal  different ethnicity and generations are in the mix. Personally, I am just as frustrated as the next guy of the newbie immigrants who self-select and who only come to this great country to reap without sowing. Before you get your hate on, I respectfully ask that you think about the "Asian" neighbors who actually take your trash out when you are on vacation, or "Asian" friends you have who happen to hang out from time to time [portion removed.]

Posted by Anciana
a resident of Old Palo Alto
on Sep 9, 2013 at 1:20 pmAnciana is a registered user.

"I respectfully ask that you think about the 'Asian' neighbors who actually take your trash out when you are on vacation, or 'Asian' friends you have who happen to hang out from time to time [portion removed.]"

If there were any, Southern Roots, I wouldn't have written my earlier message.

Before you think I'm just a racist nutcase, I will say that I have known several Asians whom I met through playing tennis, one especially wonderful woman who made playing the game extra fun and who was a very forgiving doubles partner. She was great. Her husband is great. But in my neighborhood, I have not had an Asian neighbor who seemed to be at all interested in being neighborly.

I'll add that a young Chinese couple bought the house next door to mine. Before they moved in, I went over to meet them, as they were there checking the house. They WERE friendly, and I was looking forward to having them as a neighbors, but that was months ago and they have not moved in. Don't know what happened.

Posted by Anciana
a resident of Old Palo Alto
on Sep 9, 2013 at 1:25 pmAnciana is a registered user.

And as long as racism seems to come up . . . I have a Black American friend who lives in a different neighborhood in Palo Alto. A Chinese family moved in next door. My African American friend had lived in the neighborhood for more than ten years and she knocked on the new neighbor's door. A man opened the door. My friend said she wanted to welcome the new family to the neighborhood. The man said one sentence before shutting the door in her face: "When you move?!"

Posted by PA Dweller
a resident of Community Center
on Sep 9, 2013 at 4:48 pmPA Dweller is a registered user.

>>I welcome ANYONE of any race, religion or sexual orientation who wants to be a real neighbor, a person who will come to my house to borrow a cup of sugar, a person who will pick up my newspaper when I'm away for a weekend, someone who will stop and chat for moment when out working in my front garden. A known neighbor!

I think it's unrealistic to set some kind of premise as what defines a good neighbor. If the Zuckerberg's moved next door to you, I doubt he'll be able to pick up your newspaper, or drop by to pick up a cup of sugar. It does not mean he's not a good neighbor; it just means we are all living our busy lives in 21st Century Silicon Valley.

Posted by PA Dweller
a resident of Community Center
on Sep 9, 2013 at 5:16 pmPA Dweller is a registered user.

>>I always wondered how Asian Americans who have been here for generations are perceived in the eyes of non-Asians whenever articles like this is run...

It's always been a matter of curiosity what is the reason for the negative feelings from some Americans toward Asians. The reverse is certainly not true. Most Asians I know of have positive feelings toward America and the American people. The stereotypes in the Asian community about America are generally positive stereotypes. When Asians move into a community, they tend to be friendly and non-intrusive. Asians buying into Palo Alto tend to be well educated and cultured group, and needless to say they bring wealth into the community through property taxes and other spending.

Posted by Vikinggal
a resident of another community
on Sep 9, 2013 at 8:11 pmVikinggal is a registered user.

I grew up in Palo Alto and attended all of the schools. I consider Palo Alto to be my home town. I brought my children here so they could grow up here too. It is a very special place and now that they are grown, they have thanked me for doing it. I am a teacher, I teach Palo Alto's children but I can no longer afford to live here. It really breaks my heart. My rent was raised so high, I finally had to leave. I doubt if I will ever be able to live in PA again. These things happen. I will move on. I hope that those that do live here will appreciate the wonderful town that it is.

Posted by wmartin46
a resident of Fairmeadow
on Sep 10, 2013 at 8:41 amwmartin46 is a registered user.

> biased comments

Bias is a part of our human knowledge acquisition system. As such, bias can be characterized as justified, or unjustified. My comments were in response to what I thought was a blatant painting of other comments on this thread as biased, when the comments were not available for review. Asserting bias without any evidence is a an act of bias, it would seem.

> move on from a cold war point-of-view

Why? During the past two decades, the Chinese military has increased its spending to the point that its military expenditures would be the largest in the world--were it not for the global responsibilities of the US. The Chinese have been building a blue-water navy, have invested in space warfare, and are thought to have a significant cyber-warfare unit that is constantly engaged in denial-of-service attacks, as well as cyber-espionage on US military and civilian installations and communications networks. They have been quietly purchasing assets all over the world, which can be used as bases of operation, or at the leastwill need protection via their military.

Why do you believe that rational people should ignore these facts, and pretend that the Chinese are not building a first-class military that will be capable of carrying on offensive wars outside its own defensive perimeter in the not-too-distant future?

It's hard not to believe that the US and China will not be involved in some sort of regional military conflict within the next twenty years, or so. With China's military growth, coupled with its claims that it would nuke Los Angeles if the US came to Taiwan's defense, it's more than a little difficult to back off of that age-old adage: "the price of freedom is eternal vigilance."

And then there is the lack of parity between the laws of China and the laws of the US, involving property ownership. The Chinese government has, over the past decade, or so, changed its position on home ownership somewhatin large part because of the surging prices of homes that have been driven up by "investors"/"speculators", as well as access to easy credit for purchasing homes. The cost of homes in the larger Chinese cities has become sky high. As a result of these government actions, Chinese speculators are now looking at acquiring properties in countries that have relatively loose foreign-ownership property lawslike the USto continue their investments. The results will be that their efforts will result in higher home prices here in the US, and Canada. People (like Palo Altans) have every right to be upset about the results of these loose Federal laws, on their communitieswhich allows for foreign ownership.

Palo Alto is basically a family town. The idea that it could, over time, have a significant portion of its homes being purchased by people who don't live here full time, are not interested in being a part of the greater community (in one way or another), and who very well might be part of the ruling apparatus of the Chinese Communist Partyis not something to be happy about. This concern would likely be expressed regardless of the ethnicity of those purchasing Palo Alto property.

> We can't use yesterday's standard and apply it today

George Santayana's comment about "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it" would seem to apply here. What happened over the past fifty years is still fresh in peoples' memoriesand they have every right to operate within the framework of those memories.

> How is this any different than when the Japanese bought up a lot of
> properties in the 1980s?

At some level, it isn't. However, Japan and China are very different countries. The high integration of the Chinese military in the business sector makes it a very different creation. Probably the one significant difference is that the Chinese have accumulated trillions of dollars via the effects of very cheap labor in their manufacturing sector. The US and Japan are allies, whereas the US and China are not. China has been trying to buy up high-value infrastructure which conceivably could be used by the Chinese military, at some point. At the strategic levelwe are dealing with a very different country and set of long-term concerns, where China is concerned.

Posted by Anciana
a resident of Old Palo Alto
on Sep 10, 2013 at 10:23 amAnciana is a registered user.

Hi, PA Dweller:

"I think it's unrealistic to set some kind of premise as what defines a good neighbor. If the Zuckerberg's moved next door to you, I doubt he'll be able to pick up your newspaper, or drop by to pick up a cup of sugar. It does not mean he's not a good neighbor; it just means we are all living our busy lives in 21st Century Silicon Valley."

You may be right about it being unrealistic to set some kind of standard which would define -- for me -- a good neighbor. I'm a senior citizen now and I remember days when the things that I wish for were almost universally accepted as defining a good neighbor. And we were in and out of each other's houses practically every day.

When we all had kids in school, that was a nice way to connect. My block has only two kids now, and so we don't connect in that way. If the Zuckerbergs had kids when they moved next door to me, I guess I would expect them to be real human beings, parents who might like to know what kind of block their kids are living on, and who might be willing to say Hi and maybe chat about the weather or City politics or something like that.

Almost all of the houses at my end of the block have changed hands at least once in the 52 years I've lived here. And in 52 years, one has to expect that the local culture will change. But I miss the camaraderie and casual contacts of the old neighborhood.

Posted by gus
a resident of Old Palo Alto
on Sep 10, 2013 at 11:02 amgus is a registered user.

There are new apartment signs growing everywhere saying "Now Leasing".
People are being forced to rent and the way they trash their money in the hands of landlords, they will have a little chance to save money for owning a house to live in.
Meanwhile foreign nationals are taking over the city. Please note that they are foreign nationals who do not relate to this country. They are buying our lands and probably will rent them back to us.
Congress should pass a law to prohibit foreign nationals of buying lands if they are not going to live in them.

Posted by PA Dweller
a resident of Community Center
on Sep 10, 2013 at 3:00 pmPA Dweller is a registered user.

wmartin46,

The British and the Canadians have for years out-invested the Chinese in the United States by a large margin. When we get these comments toward Chinese that were deemed sufficiently inappropriate for removal, it's an indication that there is bias if not discrimination at play here. In my opinion, such bias or discrimination needs to be removed in order for all of us to be good neighbors to each other.

As for your comments about a significant portion of homes being purchased by people who don't live here full time, that's true in many higher end places with a lot of executives owning properties there. You get that in Atherton; you get it in Manhattan. It's a part of 21st century Silicon Valley life within a globalized economy.

Your comment about the Chinese military is not pertinent to this conversation. The homes are not being marketed to the PLA.

Posted by wmartin46
a resident of Fairmeadow
on Sep 10, 2013 at 4:50 pmwmartin46 is a registered user.

> As with all people of difference races, not all Asians are
> the same or created equal  different ethnicity and generations
> are in the mix

Of course. Japanese are culturally different than Chinese who are different from Vietnamese--although they clearly have a common ancestry. Every Asian country offers unique cultural, linguistic and historic paths.

However, the trend over the past thirty years, or so, seems to have been Balkanize the USdriven in large part by the Media, which has done a lot to create fissures in our society that really need not exist. The idea of "the melting pot" was one that sort of worked, given two-four generations for new comers to acclimate to the American lifestyle, and mindset. Unfortunately, the high levels of immigration over the past thirty years have made the "melting pot" model not as effective as it once was. And even this "melting pot" model had its flaws, as the various regional accents provide clues to the national origins of the original inhabitants.

The US is an experiment. And It is far from completed. People claiming to be "hyphenated-Americans" would seem to be saying that they really don't want to be "All-Americans", that they are not really "all in". Getting rid of the "hyphens" would help to reduce some of these tensions, giving people who have immigrated here a chance to become Americans without the pressure of claiming that they really aren't Americans, at their core. "Hypenated-Americans" leave the impression that they have rejected (or aren't accepting) some portion of the American model, even if they actually are "all in".

America's social, and political, model requires jettisoning the cultural, historical and often religious predispositions that have often been the source of wars, and oppression since time began-and starting over, with a new culture, and a new history.

Posted by Berry
a resident of College Terrace
on Sep 10, 2013 at 5:13 pmBerry is a registered user.

You know how China has the worst environmental pollution and air quality in the world, it's because their people and government give zero craps about the environment. So, they make tons of money with these awful polluting businesses that make little plastic parts and junk and dump all the waste in the ground and cash out. THEN, since China is a dump, they take their money here and buy up all the choice property [portion removed.]

"Meanwhile foreign nationals are taking over the city. Please note that they are foreign nationals who do not relate to this country. They are buying our lands and probably will rent them back to us.

Congress should pass a law to prohibit foreign nationals of buying lands if they are not going to live in them." BRILLIANT! +1

Posted by PA Dweller
a resident of Community Center
on Sep 10, 2013 at 7:34 pmPA Dweller is a registered user.

>>You know how China has the worst environmental pollution and air quality in the world, it's because their people and government give zero craps about the environment.

You should do a basic Google fact check before making such sweeping statements. The United States has been the world's biggest polluter until 2006. Even today the U.S. has a far larger carbon footprint than China.

>>Congress should pass a law to prohibit foreign nationals of buying lands if they are not going to live in them." BRILLIANT! +1

Be care what you wish for. With all foreign investment gone it's not going to be pretty here. American capitalism is built on the foundation of an open economy.

By the way, there is a large number of apartment units in China's tier 1 cities that are owned by foreigners; these units are either unoccupied, or rented out. You can do exactly the same thing in China.

Posted by Gus
a resident of Old Palo Alto
on Sep 11, 2013 at 10:32 amGus is a registered user.

The whole world has build America through immigration and immigrants hard work since the discovery of this land.
But the current trend of foreign nationals under the government of China looks like an encroachment to takeover our lands and resources. Exactly the same way colonizers did.

Posted by Gus
a resident of Old Palo Alto
on Sep 11, 2013 at 10:41 amGus is a registered user.

>>Be care what you wish for. With all foreign investment gone it's not going to be pretty here. American capitalism is built on the foundation of an open economy.

Response:
Our open economy is for foreign nationals to invest in the United States which means jobs and benefits for Americans. Open economy does not mean allowing foreign nationals to buy our 'residential' lands and renting them back to us.

'residential' lands and properties should be owned by Americans for building communities. 'Land Ownership' by Americans is the essence of a healthy community.